Overheated school making students sick

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Overheated school making students sick

OKLAHOMA CITY — Corrin Brothers is upset about her children sitting in sweltering classrooms. Parts of Martin Luther King Jr.Elementary have been overheated since the beginning of December and several children have gone home sick because of it.

“Some children get dizzy or have headaches and they have to go home early. I just think that’s appalling,” Brothers said.

“I sweat a lot and my clothes start to stick to my body, it doesn’t feel very comfortable,” another student said.

Alexandria says her friend needed medical attention because of the high temperature.

“She wasn’t feeling well and then out of now where she fainted and they had to rush her to the hospital,” she said.

We talked to school officials about the problem.

“It is true, the principal says she’s had several students who were sent home because they weren’t feeling well because of the temperature,” Tierney Tinnin said, Spokesperson for Oklahoma City Schools.

Administrators say the problem has to do with the control panel of the heater.

It warms the school overnight; by morning it’s broiling and does not cool down when thermostats is adjusted.

The district accepts responsibility.

“I could continue to give a list of excuses but it’s just not acceptable. We have switched vendors and it is very important to us to get the problem fixed. We want our students and teachers in a comfortable environment,” Tinnin said.

Officials say they’re determined to get the problem fixed.

“It’s not comforting to tell me that we are working on it. The district has had two months to get it fixed. If any of the school administrators had to sweat for over a day, this problem would have already been resolved,” Brothers said.

Students say some classrooms have box fans and teachers have held some classes outside to keep them cool.